POLICE EXPERT WITNESS QUALIFICATIONS
I am qualified as an expert witness in police practices and procedures because I have the
following education, experience, knowledge, skill, and training in my field.
1. Education: I have a Master of Science degree in Justice Administration from Col-
umbus College (Columbus State University) (1983); a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from the University of Washington (1982); and thirty (30) credits of post-graduate coursework in Criminal Justice and Public Administration from Columbus College. I have also completed over 1,000 hours of law enforcement and tactical police (SWAT) training. Inclusive to my initial academy and SWAT advanced tactical training was extensive classroom and scenario-based field problems regarding suspect deescalation and use of force.
2. Experience: I am a recently retired full and tenured professor of criminal justice at Centralia College in Centralia, Washington where I enjoyed over 22 years of unblemished academic service (9/01/1999-3/18/2022). I concurrently served 17 years as a senior lecturer of criminal justice at Saint Martin’s University and Brandman University in Lacey, Washington (05/1997 – 12/2016). I have also worked as an international police trainer/advisor, senior mentor, and NATO liaison to the Afghan National Police Academy in Kabul, Afghanistan (MPRI/Engility, Inc.) (11/08-12/09). Previously, I served In Baghdad and Basra, Iraq, as an international police trainer/ advisor to the Baghdad Police College and as Deputy Director of the United Kingdom’s Basrah Police Academy (05/05-06/06).
3. Concurrently I also worked as a licensed private investigator specializing in criminal defense casework in Washington State from 2002-2014. My primary focus was conducting pre-trial investigations for criminal defense attorneys which included felony casework. Specifically, I specialized in conducting defense interviews with both civilians and police witnesses, reviewing case files, gathering evidence, and critiquing witness statements. Over the course of 12 years I estimate I interviewed approximately 100 witnesses involved in felony and some misdemeanor cases. As a police officer, I successfully completed 80 hours of specialized training in Kinesic Interviews and Interrogations through D. Glenn Foster and Associates at Columbus College, Columbus, Georgia.
4. In 2014 I transitioned Gilbertson Investigations to focus solely on expert witness casework. I now consult with civil rights and criminal defense attorneys on police practices, use of force, false arrest, police misconduct, criminal and self-defense casework. To date I have consulted as an expert witness on over 200 cases in 42 states and the District of Columbia. I have consulted on cases that have secured over 47 million dollars in damages for victims of police misconduct. My expert testimony has been admitted in the superior courts of Washington, Oregon, Kansas, Connecticut, Florida, and Illinois; and the U.S. District Courts for the Western District of Washington, the District of Arizona, and the Western District of Louisiana. I am qualified as an expert witness in police practices because I have 37 years of law enforcement and criminal justice knowledge, education, experience, and training in my field.
5. I also worked as a District Security Officer for the Kent and White River School
Districts (08/96 – 08/99) and as a Guardian ad Litem for the Pierce County Superior Court, Tacoma, WA (09/97–09/99). As a police officer, I served as a SWAT Team tactical police officer and senior patrolman for the LaGrange Police Department, GA ()2/91-04/96). I began my career as a police officer with the Atlanta Police Department assigned to Zone 3 precinct (08/88-02/91).
6. Knowledge: The U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. Department of Justice have previously deployed me as a subject matter expert in police practices and procedures on two overseas police training and support contracts. In this capacity, I served as an International Police Trainer/Advisor in Iraq and Afghanistan. In Kabul, Afghanistan, I served as a Police Policy & Doctrine Developer to the Afghanistan Ministry of the Interior. My task was to design and develop a policy and procedures manual for the Afghanistan National Police. I based the manual on model policies and best practices as outlined by the International Association of Chiefs of Police. I completed my Afghanistan service by serving as Senior Mentor and NATO Liaison to the commanding general of the Afghanistan National Police Academy.
7. In Iraq I served as Curriculum Development Specialist assigned to develop an accelerated bachelor’s degree curriculum in democratic policing for the Baghdad Police College. Later, I served as Deputy Director of the United Kingdom’s Basrah Police Academy. In this capacity I directly supervised 12 American police trainers assigned to teach basic law enforcement subjects, strategies, and techniques to Iraqi police cadets.
8. Skill: At Centralia College, my academic duties included teaching and serving as Senior Faculty of the Criminal Justice Program. Recently, I provided leadership for an initiative called the Criminal Justice Crosswalk Degree which confers 45 of the 90 credits required for a criminal justice associate degree to all Washington State police officers, deputy sheriffs, and state troopers. The Centralia College Crosswalk degree is unique in the state.
9. Further, I have been an expert witness since 2014. In Alvarez v. King Cty. No. C16-0721RAJ, 2017 WL 3189025, at *8 (W.D. Wash. July 27, 2017) U.S. District Court Judge Richard A. Jones entered the following opinion:
Mr. Gilbertson’s qualifications demonstrate extensive experience in policing. Mr. Gilbertson’s experience includes work as a police officer in Georgia, including assignments as a SWAT team officer, superior court investigator, school resource officer, squad officers, senior patrolman, and patrolman. After his law enforcement career, Mr. Gilbertson went on to become a college professor – where he taught courses on criminal justice – and a private investigator, conducting pretrial investigations for attorneys throughout Washington State in hundreds of criminal cases. The Court finds that, based on his experience, Mr. Gilbertson’s testimony can be expected to have a reliable basis in knowledge and experience of police practices.”
10. Training: The Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges requires tenured workforce education faculty members to maintain competency and currency in their respective career fields. To meet this requirement, I became an agency principal and licensed private investigator in 2002. My additional specialized training and education courses, especially
in use of force, includes:
1) Georgia Public Safety Training Center SWAT Certification;
2) U.S. Army Military Police School SWAT Training Course;
3) Georgia Public Safety Training Center SWAT Submachine Gun Course;
4) Georgia Public Safety Training Center Police Tactical Rifle Course;
5) Georgia Public Safety Training Center Shotgun Skills Course;
6) Georgia Public Safety Training Center VIP Executive Protection Course;
7) Georgia Public Safety Training Center Criminal Procedures Course;
8) Advanced Interviews & Interrogations I, Columbus College;
9) Advanced Interviews & Interrogations II, Columbus College;
10) Pierce County Center for Dispute Resolution Mediation Training Course;
11) 30 post-graduate hours of criminal justice courses through Columbus College;
12) Washington State Armed Private Security Guard Training and Licensing;
13) Washington State Armed Private Investigator Training and Licensing.
BASIS FOR ANALYIS & OPINIONS
12. As previously noted, my analysis and opinions are grounded in over 37-years of experience in the criminal justice system. My experience includes roles in law enforcement, armed private security, unarmed private security, armed private investigations, unarmed private investigations, academia, expert witness consulting, and international police training. During my career I served eight (8) years as a Georgia police officer, including four years as a tactical team (SWAT) member. I have also owned and operated a licensed private investigation/expert witness agency for over two decades. In these roles I have provided both armed and unarmed investigative services to attorneys and other clients. For the past 12 years I have worked as an expert witness in police practice and procedures on more than 200 cases nationwide. My career also includes 25-years as a tenured criminal justice college professor and university lecturer.
13. Internationally I served as a police trainer and advisor in Iraq and Afghanistan for two full years. I have also worked as a Guardian ad Litem and school district security officer for three years. I hold a master’s degree in justice administration and have completed 30 hours of post-graduate coursework in criminal justice. My expert opinions have contributed to the recovery of over $47 million in damages in civil rights and police misconduct litigation in 42 states.
14. My analysis and opinions are informed by the specific facts and circumstances of each case. These facts and circumstances are then evaluated against current national law enforcement training standards, departmental policies and procedures, applicable state and federal law, and recognized best practices in policing as established by the International Association of Chiefs of Police Model Policy Center. According to the IACP web site (www.IACP.org):
“The International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) is the world’s largest and most influential professional association for police leaders. With more than 35,000 members in over 180 countries, the IACP is a recognized leader in global policing, committed to advancing safer communities through thoughtful, progressive police leadership. Since 1893, the association has been serving communities by speaking out on behalf of law enforcement and advancing leadership and professionalism in policing worldwide.”
“The IACP is known for its commitment to enhancing community safety by shaping the future of the police profession. Through timely research, programming, and unparalleled training opportunities, the IACP is preparing current and emerging police leaders—and the agencies and communities they serve—to succeed in addressing the most pressing issues, threats, and challenges of the day.”
“The IACP is a not-for-profit 501c(3) organization headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. The IACP is the publisher of The Police Chief magazine, the leading periodical for law enforcement executives, and the host of the IACP Annual Conference, the largest police educational and technology exposition in the world. IACP membership is open to law enforcement professionals of all ranks, as well as non-sworn leaders across the criminal justice system.”
POLICE EXPERT WITNESS ATTORNEY REVIEWS
15. To date I have consulted as an expert witness in police practices on nearly 220 cases in 42 states and the District of Columbia. My expert testimony has been heard in the superior courts of Washington, Oregon, Kansas, Connecticut, and Illinois; and the U.S. District Courts for the Western District of Washington, the District of Arizona, and the Western District of Louisiana. My analysis and opinions have empowered attorneys nationwide to secure $50 million dollars in damages for clients in excessive force, false arrest, and police misconduct cases .
16. Jason Steen: In State v. Clark, 20CR37909; Multnomah County Circuit Court; State of Oregon, Murder 2nd Degree and Attempted Murder 2nd degree, Portland, Oregon attorney Jason Steen, Esq. offered the following assessment of my knowledge, abilities, and effectiveness in a self-defense trial: “Professor Gilbertson was well prepared and had clearly given a great deal of thought to his analysis of the discovery in a case that included review of written reports, surveillance video, and Oregon case law. Professor Gilbertson’s unassailable testimony resulted in Not Guilty verdicts on all counts. His testimony included Use of Force analysis and crime scene preservation. His conclusions were based in law, fact, and common sense. The State’s decision to cross-examine Professor Gilbertson caused the DA to appear desperate and exasperated.”
17. Angus Lee: Further, former elected Grant County, Washington, prosecuting attorney and Vancouver civil rights and defense attorney Angus Lee recently offered the following review: “Professor Gilbertson’s comprehensive knowledge and incisive analyses sets a high standard for expert testimony in police practices. His credentials are impeccable, and knowledge of police procedures and use of force is very high. His expertise has been recognized by the federal court. His keen ability to analyze complex situations regarding the application of force has consistently offered pivotal insights. His commentary on police training and policy has been instrumental in shedding light on police use of force. I wholeheartedly recommend Professor Gilbertson.”
18. Mark Linquist: Finally, former elected Pierce County, Washington, prosecuting attorney and Tacoma personal injury, civil rights and defense attorney Mark Lindquist recently shared his assessment of my casework: “Professor Gilbertson will help you win your case. His knowledge is extensive, his credentials are excellent, his analysis is first rate, and, perhaps most importantly, he is an outstanding communicator. You will better understand your case after reviewing it with Professor Gilbertson. While he catches the complex nuances of a case, he can also distill a case into plain and compelling terms. Your jurors will understand him and like him. So will you. Because of his balanced background and solid analysis, Professor Gilbertson has the respect of opposing counsel. His reports are unimpeachable and his presentation in depositions is unflappable. Your case becomes stronger when he’s on your team.